Rafael Leao couldn't hide his emotions after pulling on Portugal's number 7 shirt against Denmark, a special moment for a striker who grew up watching Cristiano Ronaldo, the team's star and one of the game's greatest legends.
The forward featured in Portugal's thrilling 4-2 win last night, Thursday, in the third round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.
Leao wore the number 7, which freed up after Ronaldo left the Portugal camp. The striker had previously worn number 17.
Portugal were forced to hand Ronaldo's shirt to another player because of UEFA regulations in the Nations League, which require squad numbers to run from 1 to 23.
Afterwards, Leao spoke about his delight at the experience, stressing that wearing the number tied to Ronaldo carried a special value for him.
As highlighted by the "Foot Mercato" network, Leao said: "Wearing the number 7 shirt was something special for me, because Cristiano has been my idol since I was a child."
It all unfolded amid a charged atmosphere around the Portugal squad, with Ronaldo walking away from the camp on his own decision after tension with manager Jorge Jesus.
The number 7 wasn't entirely new to Leao. He had worn it just once at club level during his career, as a Lille player in France during the 2018-2019 season.